Data storage apparatus that either certifies a recording medium in the background or verifies data written in the recording medium

ABSTRACT

A data storage apparatus, which can format a recording medium in the background, that verifies data written in a designated region of the recording medium if the designated region has not yet been certified in the background, and writes the data in an alterative region of the recording medium if the designated region is found defective. Since the data storage apparatus either certifies the designated region of the recording medium or verifies the data written in the designated region, the data storage apparatus can enhance the reliability of the data written in the recording medium, but the data storage apparatus does not waste time by verifying the designated region of the recording medium two times or more.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/128,455,filed on Apr. 24, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,133,339 which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a data storage apparatus, and moreparticularly, to a data storage apparatus that stores data designated bya user in rewritable recording media such as CD-RW (CompactDisc-ReWritable) and DVD+RW (Digital Video or VersatileDisc+ReWritable).

2. Description of the Related Art

Universal Disc Format (UDF) is a standard file system for rewritabledata storage media such as CD-RW and DVD+RW. UDF is applicable tovarious data storage apparatuses since UDF uses various recordingformats suitable to respective recording media.

Among UDF, random UDF is used for CD-RW and DVD+RW that are randomlyaccessible as well as rewritable.

In the case of CD-RW, it is necessary to format a disk by writing dummydata in the entire recording region or at least a designated recordingregion of the disk in order to write or to read data at random. In thecase of DVD+RW, an unrecorded region of a disk also must be formatted bystoring dummy data in advance to establish compatibility withconventional DVD-ROM drives.

Another object of formatting is to detect an inherent defect in the diskin order to avoid the writing of data in the defective region when realdata are written.

That is, a data storage apparatus verifies the dummy data written in theentire region of the disk that has been formatted. This is calledcertifying processing.

A sector in which a defect is found by the certifying processing isregistered as a defective sector, and its information is stored in apredetermined area of the disk. In the case that the defective sector isto be accessed for the writing or reading of data, another sector inwhich no defect was found by certifying is accessed on behalf of thedefective sector. A method of detecting a defective sector in a disk isdescribed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 7-176142, forexample, as related art.

As described above, while a disk is being formatted, the data storageapparatus writes dummy data in the entire region or at least adesignated region of the disk and verifies the dummy data, if necessary.The time required for formatting the disk increases proportionally tothe increase of memory capacity of the disk.

As a solution to this problem, a data storage apparatus that performsthe formatting of a CD-RW disk and/or a DVD+RW disk in the background sothat a user could write and/or read data in a short time period afterthe user requests to format the disk is proposed in the JapaneseLaid-open Patent Application No. 11-134799, for example.

While no user data are being written or read in the disk, the proposeddata storage apparatus writes dummy data in an unformatted region, orverifies the dummy data written in a formatted region to certify theformatted region. If the user requests to write/read user data while thedisk is being formatted in the background, the data storage apparatustemporarily stops (suspends) the formatting processing and writes/readsthe user data in compliance with the user's request. Accordingly, thedata storage apparatus, while formatting the disk in the background,performs the writing and reading of the user data, the writing of thedummy data, and the detecting of a defective sector by the certifyingprocessing in parallel.

In the case of the formatting in the background according to relatedart, however, the data storage apparatus writes user data in anuncertified region, which may be a defective sector. If the uncertifiedregion is defective, the user data may be lost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to providea novel and useful data storage apparatus in which one or more of theproblems described above are eliminated.

Another and more specific object of the present invention is to providea data storage apparatus that can securely write user data even duringthe background formatting of the disk.

To achieve one of the above objects, a data storage apparatus thatcertifies a recording medium in background by writing dummy data in saidrecording medium and verifying said dummy data, according to the presentinvention is structured by a buffer unit that temporarily stores dataprovided from an exterior, and a controller unit that receives a requestfrom said exterior to write said data in a designated region of saidrecording medium, writes said data in said designated region, determineswhether said designated region has been certified, verifies, if saiddesignated region has not been certified, said data written in saiddesignated region by comparing with the buffered data, and writes, if aportion of said designated region is found to be defective, the portionof the buffered data corresponding to data written in the defectiveportion of said designated region, in a predetermined alterative regionof said recording medium.

Since the data storage apparatus according to the present inventioneither certifies the designated region of the recording medium while thedesignated region is formatted in the background or verifies the datawritten in the designated region of the recording medium, the datastorage apparatus can enhance the reliability of the data written in therecording medium, but the data storage apparatus does not waste timeverifying the designated region of the recording medium twice or more.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an optical disk drive as an embodimentof the present invention;

FIGS. 2A through 2E are schematic drawings showing how dummy data anduser data are written or read in a DVD+RW disk by the optical disk driveas an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing the operation of an optical disk driveas an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing an operation of an optical disk driveas another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing an operation of an optical disk driveas yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing an operation of an optical disk driveas yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing an information processing systemthat is provided an optical disk drive as an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedbelow by reference to drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical disk drive as an embodiment ofthe present invention.

The optical disk drive as an embodiment of the present invention isprovided with a spindle motor (hereinafter referred to as a “motor”) 1that rotates an optical disk 11 such as CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD, anoptical pickup 2 having a semiconductor laser that applies a laser beamL to a recording region of the optical disk 11, and a coarse actuator 3that actuates the optical pickup 2 in the radial direction of theoptical disk 11 in collaboration with a seek motor (not shown) providedin the optical pickup 2.

The optical disk drive showed in FIG. 1 is further provided with arotation control unit 4 that controls the rotation of the motor 1, acoarse actuator control unit 5 that activates the coarse actuator 3, anoptical pickup control unit 6 that controls the optical pickup 2, and asignal processing unit 7 that processes a signal read by the opticalpickup 2 from the recording region of the optical disk 11 and a signalto be written by the optical pickup 2 in the recording region of theoptical disk 11.

The optical disk drive showed in FIG. 1 is further provided with a cachememory 8 that temporarily stores data read from the optical disk 11, anda controller 9 consisting of electronic components such as a CPU, ROM,and RAM, that perform various processing in connection with the presentinvention as well as the controlling of the other control units 4, 5,and 6 and the signal processing unit 7.

The controller 9 is connected with a host computer through an externalinterface 10 so that the controller 9 transmits user data read from theoptical disk 11 to the host computer in response to a request from thehost computer and receives user data to be written in the optical disk11 from the host computer.

The optical disk drive showed in FIG. 1 performs the backgroundformatting as an embodiment of the present invention as well as thereading and writing of user data by rotating the optical disk 11 by themotor 1, actuating the optical pickup 2 in the radial direction of theoptical disk 11, and applying the laser beam L emitted by thesemiconductor laser provided in the optical pickup 2 to the recordingregion of the optical disk 11.

In the case of the writing of information, the information received fromthe host computer through the external interface is temporarily storedin the cache memory 8, and is converted into a write signal by thesignal processing unit 7. The write signal is recorded in the opticaldisk 11 by applying a laser beam L by the optical pickup 2 to therecording region of the optical disk 11.

In the case of the reading of information, the information read from therecording region of the optical disk 11 in response to a request fromthe host computer is temporarily stored in the cache memory 8, and istransferred to the host computer through the external interface 10.

That is, the controller 9 and the other components showed in FIG. 1 readand write information in a recording medium and format the recordingmedium in the background by writing dummy data in the recording mediumwhile no information is to be read or written. The formatted region ofthe recording medium is certified by verifying the dummy data written inthe formatted region. In the case that the host computer requests towrite information while the recording medium is being formatted in thebackground, the recorded region of the recording medium is certified byverifying whether any defect exists in the recorded region. If a defectis found in the recorded region by certifying, the information writtenin the defective region is written again in a predetermined alterativeregion (relocating processing).

In the case of the writing of information to a recording region of therecording medium, the controller 9 determines whether the recordingregion has been certified and, if the recording region has beencertified, does not verify the information recorded in the recordingregion.

Furthermore, in the case of the writing of information to a recordingregion of the recording medium, the controller 9 determines whether theoptical disk drive is set at the mode in which the formatted region isto be certified or not. If the controller 9 determines that the opticaldisk drive is set at the mode in which the formatted region is not to becertified, the controller 9 does not verify the information written inthe recording region.

Furthermore, the controller 9 determines, when information is to bewritten in the recording medium, whether the information is classifiedas one that needs to be written again (relocated) in an alternativerecording region if the recording region where the information has beenwritten is found defective. If the information does not need to berecorded in an alternative recording region, the controller 9 does notverify the information that has been written in an uncertified recordingregion.

Additionally, the information indicating whether the written informationis to be relocated (written again in the predetermined alternativeregion) can be transferred from the host computer by setting theinformation as a mode parameter or sending the information as a commandparameter before the user data are transferred from the host computer tothe optical disk drive.

The ordinary background formatting of a DVD+RW disk will be describednext before describing the background formatting according to thepresent invention in more detail.

FIGS. 2A through 2E are schematic drawings showing how dummy data of thebackground formatting and user data are written and read in a DVD+RWdisk, the optical disk 11.

As shown in FIG. 2A, when an unformatted optical disk 11 (a blank disk)is inserted into the optical disk drive, a portion of a lead-in area(lead-in region) 20 is formatted with a predetermined format as aninitialization of the formatting processing of data recording region.User data can be written in a user data area 21 in response to a requestfrom the host computer after this initialization. A lead-out area 22 isprovided in the rear of the user data area 21.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the optical disk drive starts the backgroundformatting of the blank disk if no request from the host computer towrite and read user data has been received by recording dummy data in anunrecorded region 23 in the inner radius of the optical disk 11.

As shown in FIG. 2C, if the host computer requests to write user data inthe optical disk 11 while the background formatting is proceeding, thebackground formatting (the writing of the dummy data) is suspended, andthe user data are written in recording regions 24 designated by the hostcomputer.

As shown in FIG. 2D, after finishing the writing of the user data in thedesignated regions 24, the background formatting is resumed from theaddress indicated by a letter “A” at which the background formatting wassuspended, and dummy data are recorded in recording regions 25.

After finishing the writing of the dummy data in unrecorded regions, theoptical disk drive starts certifying from the head of the recordingregion. As shown in FIG. 2E, if the host computer requests to write userdata in designated recording regions 26 when the certifying has beenperformed up to the address indicated by a letter “B”, the certifyingprocessing is suspended, and the user data are recorded in the recordingregions 26 designated by the host computer.

The certifying processing is resumed from the address B at which thecertifying was suspended. If a defective recording region (sector) isfound, the user data written in the defective recording region arewritten again (relocated) in a predetermined alternative region providedin the optical disk 11.

The operation of the controller 9 as an embodiment of the presentinvention described in claim 1 will be explained below.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing the operation performed when therecording of user data is requested, as an embodiment of the presentinvention claimed in claim 1.

When the host computer requests the writing of user data, the opticaldisk drive writes the user data in a recording region designated by thehost computer in the request (step S1). The optical disk drivedetermines whether the background formatting has been suspended (stepS2).

If the optical disk drive determines that the background formatting hasnot been suspended in step S2, the optical disk drive finishes theperformance responding to the request to write the user data.

If the optical disk drive determines that the background formatting isbeing suspended in step S2, the optical disk drive certifies therecording region of the optical disk 11 by verifying the user datawritten in the recording region (step S3). If a defect is found in thecertifying process, the user data are written in an alternativerecording region of the optical disk 11 (relocating processing).

In summary, unless the host computer requests to write or read userdata, the optical disk drive keeps formatting the optical disk 11 in thebackground. Once the host computer requests to write user data, theoptical disk drive suspends the formatting of the optical disk 11, andwrites the user data in the designated recording region of the opticaldisk 11. Then, the optical disk drive certifies whether any defectexists in the designated recording region of the optical disk 11 byverifying the written user data. If a defect is found in the designatedrecording region, the optical disk drive writes the user data written inthe defective recording region again in a predetermined alternativerecording region in the disk 11 (relocating processing). After thiscertifying process, the optical disk drive resumes formatting theremainder of the optical disk 11 in the background.

Accordingly, the optical disk drive as an embodiment of the presentinvention can guarantee the reliability of user data written during thebackground formatting by verifying the user data to find any defectexisting in the recording region where the user data have been written.

If the recording region in which the user data are written has beencertified during the background formatting of the recording region, theverifying processing of the written user data is not necessary.

Processing connected to another suspect of the present invention that isperformed by the controller 9 of the optical disk drive will bedescribed next.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing the processing connected to anotheraspect of the present invention that is performed when the host computerrequests to write user data.

When the host computer requests the writing of user data, the opticaldisk drive writes the user data in a recording region designated by thehost computer in the request (step S11). The optical disk drivedetermines whether the background formatting has been suspended (stepS12).

If the optical disk drive determines that the background formatting hasnot been suspended in step S12, the optical disk drive finishes therequest for the writing of user data.

If the optical disk drive determines that the background formatting isbeing suspended in step S12, the optical disk drive further determineswhether the recording region where the user data are written has beencertified when the recording region was formatted (step S13). If theoptical disk drive determines that the recording region where the userdata is written has been certified in step S13, the optical disk drivefinishes the request for the writing of user data.

If the optical disk drive determines that the recording region where theuser data is written has not been certified yet in step S13, the opticaldisk drive certifies the recording region where the user data arewritten in order to find any defect by verifying the user data. If nodefect is found, the optical disk drive finishes the request for thewriting of the user data. If a defect is found, the optical disk drivewrites the user data written in the defective recording region again ina predetermined alternative recording region, before finishing therequest for the writing of the user data.

In summary, unless the host computer requests to write or read userdata, the optical disk drive keeps formatting the optical disk 11 in thebackground. Once the host computer requests to write user data, theoptical disk drive suspends the formatting of the optical disk 11, andwrites the user data in the designated recording region of the opticaldisk 11. In this case, the optical disk drive determines whether adesignated recording region has been certified. If the recording regionhas been certified, the optical disk drive does not verify the user datawritten in the recording region. If the recording region has not beencertified, the optical disk drive verifies the user data written in therecording region in order to find any defect existing in the recordingregion. If any defect is found in the recording region, the user data iswritten again in a predetermined recording region of the optical disk 11(relocating processing). Then, the suspended background formatting isresumed.

As described above, the optical disk drive as an embodiment of thepresent invention does not verify the user data that are written in acertified recording region, so that the optical disk drive does notrepeat an unnecessary verification and reduces the time required for thewriting of the user data.

Ordinarily, if a user does not need to relocate user data written in adefective recording region to a predetermined recording region of theoptical disk 11, the user probably does not need to certify the opticaldisk 11 when the optical disk 11 is formatted. It would be useful forthe user if the user could select whether to certify the optical disk 11when the optical disk is formatted. Accordingly, it would be useful forthe user if the user could determine, when the optical disk drive startsformatting, whether to certify the optical disk 11. If the user does notneed to certify the optical disk 11 when formatting the optical disk 11in the background, the optical disk drive does not need to verify theuser data written in the recording region.

The processing performed by the controller 9 and other components of theoptical disk drive, connected with another aspect of the presentinvention will be described next.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing the processing that is performed whenthe host computer requests the optical disk drive to write user data.

When the host computer requests the optical disk drive to write userdata, the optical disk drive writes the user data in a recording regiondesignated by the host computer in the request (step S21). Thecontroller 9 determines whether the background formatting has beensuspended (step S22).

If the controller 9 determines that the background formatting has notbeen suspended in step S22, the optical disk drive finishes theperformance responding to the request of the host computer.

If the controller 9 determines that the background formatting has beensuspended in step S22, the controller 9 further determines whether theoptical disk drive is set at a certifying mode in which certifyingprocessing is required (step S23). If the controller 9 determines thatthe optical disk drive is not set at the certifying mode in step S23,the controller 9 finishes the performance responding to the request ofthe host computer.

If the controller 9 determines that the optical disk drive is set at thecertifying mode, the controller 9 verifies the user data written in thedesignated region. If no defect is found, the controller 9 finishes theperformance responding to the request of the host computer to write theuser data. If any defect is found, the controller 9 performs relocatingprocessing in which the user data written in the defective region iswritten again in a predetermined alternative region in the optical disk11, and finishes the performance responding to the request of the hostcomputer to write the user data.

In other words, when an unformatted optical disk 11 is set at theoptical disk drive, the controller 9 of the optical disk drive startsformatting the unformatted optical disk 11 in the background. When thehost computer requests the optical disk drive to write user data, thecontroller 9 suspends the background formatting and writes the user datain a recording region of the optical disk 11 designated by the hostcomputer. The controller 9 determines whether the optical disk drive isset at the certifying mode in which certifying processing is requiredwhen the optical disk 11 is formatted. If the controller 9 determinesthat the optical disk drive is set at the non-certifying mode in whichcertifying processing is not required, the controller 9 resumes theformatting processing of the optical disk 11 after finishing the writingof the user data without certifying processing. If the controller 9determines that the optical disk drive is set at the certifying mode,the controller 9 certifies the designated region by verifying the userdata written in the designated region. If any defect is found in thedesignated region, the controller 9 relocates the user data by writingagain the user data in a predetermined alternative region in the opticaldisk 11. Then, the controller 9 resumes the suspended backgroundformatting of the optical disk 11.

In this case, if the controller 9 determines that the optical disk driveis set at the non-certifying mode, the controller 9 does not verify theuser data written in the designated region. In this processing, thecontroller 9 can avoid repeating the unnecessary verification of thedesignated region and reduce processing time required to write the userdata in the optical disk 11.

As described above, it is useful to verify the user data written in adesignated region of the optical disk 11 if the designated region hasnot been certified yet during the background formatting. The verifyingof the user data written in the designated region ensures thereliability of the user data, but increases time required to perform thewriting of the user data responding to the request of the host computer.

In the case that a long series of data are to be written in consecutiveaddresses in the optical disk 11, however, the optical disk driverequires a long time to verify the sequential data since the controller9 has to suspend writing to verify the sequential data. Frequentverifications greatly lower the performance of the optical disk drive.In the case of video data, for example, in which constant data transferis more important than reliability of each piece of data, the verifyingprocessing is not appropriate.

In this case where constant data transfer is required, it is preferrednot to relocate user data even if a recording region where the user dataare written contains a defective sector. If the optical disk drive has amode in which relocating processing is not performed, the user can setthe optical disk drive at the non-relocating mode when the user writesvideo data, for example, in the optical disk 11.

Processing of the controller 9 as an embodiment of the present inventionaccording to another aspect of the invention will be described below.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the processing performed when thewriting of user data is requested as an embodiment of the presentinvention.

When the host computer requests the optical disk drive to write the userdata in the optical disk 11, the controller 9 writes the user data in adesignated region of the optical disk 11 (step S31). The controller 9then determines whether the background formatting has been suspended(step S32).

If the controller 9 determines that the background formatting has notbeen suspended in step S32, the controller 9 finishes the performanceresponding to the request of the host computer.

If the controller 9 determines that the background formatting has beensuspended in step S32, the controller 9 determines whether the opticaldisk drive is informed that the user data does not require therelocation processing (step S33). If the controller 9 determines thatthe optical disk drive is informed that the user data does not requirethe relocation processing in step S33 (that is, the optical disk driveis set at a mode in which the relocation processing is not performed),the performance responding to the request for the writing of user datais finished.

If the controller 9 determines that the optical disk drive is notinformed that the user data does not require the relocation processingin step S33 (that is, the optical disk drive is set at a mode in whichthe relocation processing is performed), the controller 9 verifies theuser data written in the designated region and performs the certifyingprocessing (step S34). If no defect is found in the designated region,the performance responding to the request for the writing of user datais finished. If any defect is found in the designated region, therelocating processing is performed before the performance responding tothe request to write user data is finished.

In summary, if the host computer does not request to read or write userdata, the controller 9 starts formatting the optical disk 1 in thebackground by writing dummy data. If the host computer requests to writeuser data while the background formatting is performed, the controller 9suspends the background formatting and starts writing the user data inthe optical disk 11 as requested. The controller 9 determines whether anexterior system (the host computer or the optical disk drive, forexample) has designated that the user data are to be relocated, if anydefect is found by the certifying processing. After writing the userdata, if the controller 9 has determined that the relocating processingis not necessary for the user data, the controller 9 resumes formattingthe optical disk 11 without performing the certifying processing. If theuser data requires the relocating processing, the controller 9 verifiesthe user data written in the designated region and performs thecertifying processing by checking whether any defect exists based on thecertifying processing. If any defect is found by the certifyingprocessing, the user data written in the designated region are writtenin a predetermined alternative region of the optical disk 11 again.Then, the suspended background formatting is resumed.

The host computer can send a mode parameter to the optical disk drivebefore the optical disk drive starts writing the user data in order toinform the optical disk drive whether, if any defect is found by thecertifying processing, the relocating processing is to be performed. Thehost computer sets the mode parameter indicating whether user data needsthe relocating processing before the optical disk drive starts writingthe user data. In step S33 of the operation described above, thecontroller 9 determines whether the mode parameter indicates that therelocating processing is necessary. If the controller 9 determines thatthe host computer designates a mode in which the relocating processingis not performed, the controller 9 finishes the performance respondingto the request to write the user data. If the controller 9 determinesthat the host computer designates a mode in which the relocatingprocessing is performed, the controller 9 performs step S34.

Instead of the mode parameter, the host computer can inform the opticaldisk drive whether the relocating processing is to be performed bysetting a command parameter that is included in the command requestingto write the user data. The host computer indicates whether the userdata requires the relocating processing when the host computer sends therequest to write the user data in the command parameter. The controller9 determines whether the relocating processing is required for the userdata by checking the command parameter. If the relocating processing isnot required, the controller 9 finishes the performance responding tothe request to write the user data. If the relocating processing isnecessary, the controller 9 performs step S34.

Accordingly, a user can select, if the user does not need the relocatingprocessing, a mode where the verifying processing is not performed afterwriting the user data in the optical disk 11. This mode is effective foruser data such that a constant transfer rate is required when the userdata is written in the optical disk 11. Accordingly, the time requiredto write the user data can be reduced since the verifying processing isskipped.

Another embodiment of the present invention is described below.

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a information processing apparatussuch as a personal computer 61 as an embodiment of the presentinvention. The personal computer 61 is provided with a 3.5″ floppy diskdrive 62 as well as a DVD+RW drive 63, an example of the optical diskdrive described above as an embodiment of the present invention. TheDVD+RW drive 63 can be an embedded type or a so-called built-in type.The host computer is also provided in the personal computer 61.

This embodiment provides a personal computer 61 that can utilize theoptical disk drive 63, which is described in each embodiment of thepresent invention, as a secondary storage apparatus.

The optical disk drive 63 is not necessarily included in the personalcomputer 61, but can be a stand-alone type connected to the informationprocessing apparatus. The personal computer 61 is not necessarily a desktop type, but can be a notebook type.

As described above, the data storage apparatus according to the presentinvention can guarantee the reliability of the information written in adesignated region of a recording medium in response to a user requestwhile the data storage apparatus is formatting the recording medium inthe background.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described above.The present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but variousvariations and modifications may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention.

This patent application is based on Japanese priority patent applicationNo. 2001-127592 filed on Apr. 25, 2001, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

1. A data storage apparatus that certifies a recording medium, whilewaiting for a request from an exterior device, by using an optical diskdrive for writing dummy data in said recording medium and verifying saiddummy data in a background formatting process, while waiting for saidrequest from the exterior device, comprising: a buffer unit thattemporarily stores user data provided from said exterior device; and acontroller unit that receives said request from said exterior device towrite said user data in a designated region of said recording medium,suspends the background formatting process, by suspending the writing ofsaid dummy data in said recording medium, if the background formattingprocess is in progress, writes said user data in said designated region,determines whether said designated region has been certified, verifies,if said designated region has not been certified, said user data writtenin said designated region, writes, if a portion of said designatedregion is found to be defective, a portion of the stored user datacorresponding to the user data written in the defective portion of saiddesignated region, in a predetermined alternative region of saidrecording medium, and resumes the background formatting process, byresuming the writing of said dummy data in said recording medium, if thebackground formatting process was suspended.
 2. The data storageapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller unit does notverify said data if said designated region has been certified.
 3. Thedata storage apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data storageapparatus can be set at a mode in which said recording medium is notcertified while waiting for a request from an exterior device; and saidcontroller unit does not verify said user data if said data storageapparatus is set at said mode.
 4. A controller unit that controls a datastorage apparatus that certifies a recording medium by using an opticaldisk drive for writing dummy data in said recording medium and verifyingsaid dummy data in a background formatting process, while waiting for arequest from an exterior device, wherein said controller unit causessaid data storage apparatus to receive said request from an exteriordevice to write user data in a designated region of said recordingmedium, suspend the background formatting process, by suspending thewriting of said dummy data in said recording medium, if the backgroundformatting process is in progress, write said user data in saiddesignated region, determine whether said designated region has beencertified, verify and certify, if said designated region has not beencertified, said user data written in said designated region, write, if aportion of said designated region is found to be defective, a portion ofthe stored user data corresponding to user data written in the defectiveportion of said designated region, in a predetermined alternative regionof said recording medium, and resume the background formatting process,by resuming the writing of said dummy data in said recording medium, ifthe background formatting process was suspended.
 5. An informationprocessing system, comprising: a host computer; a recording medium; anda data storage apparatus connected to said host computer, capable ofcertifying said recording medium by using an optical disk drive forwriting dummy data in said recording medium and verifying said dummydata in a background formatting process while waiting for a request fromsaid host computer, which stores user data provided from said hostcomputer, receives said request from said host computer to write saiduser data in a designated region of said recording medium, suspends thebackground formatting process by suspending the writing of said dummydata in said recording medium, if the background formatting process isin progress, writes said user data in said designated region, determineswhether said designated region has been certified, verifies andcertifies, if said designated region has not been certified whilewaiting for said request from said host computer, said user data writtenin said designated region, writes, if a portion of said designatedregion is found to be defective, a portion of the stored user datacorresponding to user data written in the defective portion of saiddesignated region, in a predetermined alternative region of saidrecording medium, and resumes the background formatting process, byresuming the writing of said dummy data in said recording medium, if thebackground formatting process was suspended.
 6. A method of writing dataprovided from an exterior device, in a recording medium, comprising: astep of certifying, while waiting to receive a request from saidexternal device, said recording medium, through a background formattingprocess comprising using an optical disk drive for writing dummy data insaid recording medium and verifying said dummy data; a step of receivingsaid request from said exterior device to write data in a designatedregion of said recording medium; determining whether the backgroundformatting process is in progress, and then suspending the backgroundformatting process, by suspending the writing of dummy data in saidrecording medium; a step of writing said data in said designated region;a step of determining whether said certification of said designatedregion has been completed; a step of verifying and certifying, if saiddesignated region has not been certified, said data written in saiddesignated region; determining whether a portion of said designatedregion is found to be defective, and then writing a portion of said datacorresponding to data written in the defective portion of saiddesignated region, in a predetermined region of said recording medium;and a step of resuming the background formatting process, by resumingthe writing of said dummy data in said recording medium.